rbrettctd

Has anyone put their own in? My dad is handy with a welder and everything, but are they pretty easy to put in? I can get a folddown (what I want) with installation for about $400. I found a hitch with no install for $200, is it worth it?

Ace

You'll probably get the right answers in the towing / hauling forum. But I do know GN and 5th wheel are much better options for towing heavier loads. At what point "heavier" comes into play I'm not exctly sure. It depends on what you tow and how often. I would put the threshold somewhere around three tons or when the load weight begins to exceed the tow vehicle weight, then a better hitch starts to become a really good idea.

GasganoFJ60

Well, Its only gonna be worth it if you are gonna actually pull with it. Ive thought about putting one on mine but it would be more convenient and necessary. Then I got to thinking, we've always got the 6.7 and the Duramax with gooseneks if I should ever need it. Plus I think my truck is to tall. darn tires.

How did you want to install it? Back home a lot of people just get a piece of 1/2 steel plate, weld a ball in the center of it and bolt it to the bed/frame.

But if you got that hide-away hitch, if its the design I think it is, you really wont need the welder. Youll need a tough drill and bits to drill through the frame and bolt the braces in place. Ive never seen anyone welding their kits onto the frames. So you in S-Ville this weekend, rbrett?

rbrettctd

Its not a weight thing. The only reason I need a gn is because Weve got a gooseneck featherlite, and Ill be going to Colorado in July with it to move my aunt down. Ive been needing one anyway because the only way to tow my ford with the 36s is on our gooseneck, and I hate dragging that thing around with our gutless gas engine chevy. The heaviest thing Ive pulled was around 13-14k, and dont tell dot but that was bumper pull, which I imagine they would frown on.

rbrettctd

I really want to take my truck to the mountains and I need to tow one of our gn's so Ill have enough room for her junk. Plus my dad needs his duramax here, and I sure dont want to haul a trailer 1500 miles in our gutless 6.0Chevy.
Gasgano No I wont be in town-stupid weddings!!! Maybe next weekend though... I will start my tranny swap mid week, if you wanna come out and check out the ranch and the progress of my truck.

Big Red 97'

It really isn't that hard. My dad and I have put the gooseneck ball in every truck we've ever owned. We put a hideaway hitch in my grandpa's truck. I think it cost him $250 dollars at tractor supply and it took us about 2 hours to put it all in. If you didn't have to have a hideaway hitch you could do it for about $25 and in about an hour.

rbrettctd

Im thinking about getting a solid hitch that I can just bolt on, and just take it out when I dont need it since I dont tow a gn that often in this truck.

JTCHess

I had a B&W GN hitch installed in my 93 D350 and added the 5th wheel piece so I can pull my Cougar 5th wheel. I wanted the flexibility and B&W provides it. Great set up.

John

BearKiller

I have built dozens of BULL-STOUT gooseneck hitches, over the years.

The wife's truck has no gooseneck hitch.

I was watching someone install one of those B&W Turnover hitches, in a much later model truck.

All the holes were already there; he didn't even plug in a drill.

The whole process took about thirty minutes; the longest part of the job being cutting the hole through the sheet-metal, for the ball to poke through.

I was all ready to order one for the wife's truck.

I am grateful that I didn't.

A friend ordered a B&W for his 1st Gen., same price as the ones for the later models.

Installation is not near so easy.

The entire bed must be removed.

Unlike the other year model hitches, there are NO steel braces that catch the sides of the frame; all bolts go down through the top of the frame, and every hole gets drilled.

Without the side bracing, this makes for a real flimsy looking set-up.

I am sure proud he ordered his, before I ordered one; as, I would have promptly sent that mess back.

I am going to build her one, myself, one that you can hang the truck with.

KRB

I've got a piece of 3/4 or 1" plate that is welded to the frame. The nut is welded to the plate. My GN ball can be unscrewed when I need a flat bed. All I need to add are safety rings now.

DanMan

Has anyone looked into the Cody Hitch? It sais it's a universal mount and it mounts to the sides of the frame.
http://www.codyhitch.com/universal%20extra.htm

DanMan

KRB, I like your idea of an only-there-when-you-need-it setup. A steel plate and a screw in ball. This ball looks like it would be just right for making such a setup.
http://www.etrailer.com/y-76.aspx

KRB

That would probably work. Mine isn't chrome, made welding the nut easier.
I've seen em since that were hex shaped at the shank to facilitate removal with a wrench. That would be good. Right now I use a pipe wrench and thats hard on the ball...

BearKiller

If you have a 30,000# Hi-Rise ball, this is what we have done on several that needed to be removable.

Take a piece of 3/8 x 2, eight inches, or so, long, or similar, as size is not critical.

Grind the end such that it's contour matches the bottom portion of the fat part of the ball's shank.

Weld this to the ball's shank.

When you need the ball, spin it in the nut, then give the welded-on handle a couple healthy whacks with a hammer.

It will stay there for good; but, if you are on a long trip, just give her another whack, each time you fuel.

To remove the ball, just whack it in the other direction and un-screw.

KRB

Ah ha! Great idea. Why didn't I think of that? . Did the DOTs ever comment on it good or bad?

And I reckon that shank could even have a hole drilled in or a tab welded as a safety chain attachment point huh? Wouldn't work if the ball failed but would if the hitch itself came unhitched...

Bearkiller, I could tell at the KY Meet that you were a deep thinker. Thanks for simplifying my situation!